Fox News Media Analyst and “Mediabuzz” host Howard Kurtz declared that NBC anchor Brian Williams’ admission that the was not shot down in a helicopter over Iraq was a “major blow to his credibility and that of his network” and that there would be “tremendous fallout” from the admission on Wednesday’s “Kelly File.”
“It is very difficult for me to fathom why Brian Williams, the anchor of the top-rated network newscast, the face of NBC News, would tell the story on the air, at this ceremony about being shot down back in 2003, in a helicopter over Iraq. Yes, he was in a helicopter over Iraq, and as he accurately reported 12 years ago, another chopper was hit by an RPG and went down, his helicopter landed, perhaps an hour later, according to what some veterans are telling Stars and Stripes newspaper they did not like Williams saying that he was on the chopper that was hit, it was a sandstorm and he was grounded for a couple days. I give him credit for going to Iraq, he’s been there a couple times. But it is very difficult for me to understand and he has now apologized and he has blamed the fog of memory. But come on, if your helicopter was shot down, that’s a life-changing event, it either happened or didn’t happen, and it’s very hard for me to understand how he could make that mistake, and I have to be candid and say it’s a major blow to his credibility and that of his network” he stated.
He also predicted there would be “tremendous fallout” from the “inexplicable” mistake Williams made.
Kurtz also spoke about Fox News’ decision to post the entire video of ISIS execution a Jordanian pilot on their website, he stated “I understand the case that we ought to show the pure evil that is ISIS, and I thought our colleague Bret Baier handled it judiciously by just showing a couple of still images, but I disagree with the Fox decision and here’s why. ISIS, I fear that many of us in the media are helping ISIS spread its propaganda, using its fear tactics, and I felt the same way with the beheading videos, still images of which became almost like wallpaper for every story about ISIS, and when that tactic became so familiar, these terrorists, these butchers, went to the even more sick, and depraved, and barbaric method of burning a man to death. And I just have a concern that we are helping spread the fear that ISIS so badly wants to spread,” adding “my problem was with the constant showing of the images, just before the beheading, that I think almost served as a recruitment poster for ISIS.” Although, he was “more comfortable” with posting the video on the network’s website, because people had a choice whether or not to view the video.
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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